The combatants in the UEFA Champions League Final and summer international hardware usually go a long way toward determining the Ballon d’Or winner as the best men’s player in the world.

PSG’s repeat European Cup win over Arsenal opened the door for some serious stars to live as front-runners, but the World Cup was always likely to play an outsized role in putting a player in the driver’s seat.

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JPW — How England blew it | World Cup’s Golden Boot leaderboard

And with no Argentine and just a pair of Spain players — neither regular contributors — in the UCL Team of the Season, resumes can really be boosted on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium.

For most of this World Cup, it looked like Kylian Mbappe was going to earn his coronation as perhaps the critical player in French national team history while also becoming a first-time Ballon d’Or winner. That could still happen — we’ll detail why below — but the list of possible winners is long.

Who did voters pick in 2025 Ballon d’Or voting?

France and PSG star Ousmane Dembele won last year’s Ballon d’Or in a mild surprise, beating out teenager Lamine Yamal.

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Filling out the top 10 were Vitinha, Mohamed Salah, Raphinha, Achraf Hakimi, Mbappe, Cole Palmer, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Nuno Mendes.

Who has the best case for 2026 Ballon d’Or prior to World Cup Final?

• Kylian Mbappe (PSG and France)

Well let’s start with Mbappe, who finishes the season without a team honor under his belt but a possible Golden Boot in the World Cup in addition to already leading the Champions League and La Liga in goals.

No clear front-runner for the award could see it become a career-achievement award, and Mbappe did lead France deep into this tournament.

Kane would fit that bill, too, after helping guide England into the semifinals in a co-starring act with Jude Bellingham, who did much less at club level. Kane scored an impressive 61 goals in 51 club games this season.

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Odegaard won the Premier League and was a Champions League runner-up at Arsenal while Haaland won a domestic cup double with Man City. The latter had outstanding statistics at the World Cup but played a significant role in Norway’s quarterfinal run. Rice was a key part of Arsenal’s success and also contributed greatly to England’s efforts.

How about Hakimi, who won a second-straight Champions League and played a pivotal role in Morocco’s quarterfinal finish as well?

Who could charge into the Ballon d’Or lead with World Cup win?

• Fabian Ruiz (PSG and Spain)

• Rodri (Manchester City and Spain)

It would be remarkable to see an MLS player win a Ballon d’Or with his entire club campaign taking place in the North American league, but Messi has proven himself time and again. He is tied for the Golden Boot lead and was consistently impressive against MLS defenses prior to his magic at the World Cup.

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Fellow Argentine attacker Martinez led Serie A in goals for the second consecutive year and netted four times in the Champions League. He set up Argentina’s 90th-minute winner against Egypt in the Round of 16, scored the final extra-time goal in their 3-1 victory over Switzerland, and capped the comeback against England with a headed winner. It would be hard to ignore another heroics display in the final.

As for Spain…

Rodri had to work his way back to full form with Manchester City after an ACL injury last year, but this tournament has showcased him as a worthy candidate for a second Ballon d’Or. Would voters be hesitant to make him the 11th multi-time winner?

Don’t overlook Ruiz, who battled injuries this season with PSG but claimed the Champions League and has partnered effectively with Rodri to dominate the midfield. He missed approximately three months with a knee injury, which could impact his chances.

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Yamal finished second last year and just turned 19 this month. Ronaldo Nazario is the current youngest Ballon d’Or winner, achieving the accolade at 21 years, three months, and five days old. Barcelona secured La Liga, and Yamal averaged just under a goal contribution per game across all club competitions (45 games, 24 goals, 18 assists).